Should You Trust Instincts or Data?
Whether it’s deciding to skip dessert, get out of bed and go to work when you feel like going back to sleep, or not making that risky move, your instincts, or gut feelings, are almost always right; the gut has even been called the second brain. At the same time, your experiences and biases can […]
When Can You Expect to See Digital Marketing Results?
We live in an impatient society. From overnight shipping to the most responsive smartphone, everything in life is geared towards speed. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day. The quicker we can get through everything, the better. When it comes to marketing your small business, however, waiting for results can get old-fast. […]
What is Your Competitive Advantage?
Every business, large or small, needs something to make themselves stand out. Disney, for example, stands above virtually every other entertainment content provider due to the sheer ubiquity of the brand’s intellectual property. Everyone from Seattle to Seoul can identify the Mickey Mouse ears, Star Wars characters, or any other copyrighted cartoon character related to […]
Why Social Responsibility and Ethical Marketing Matters
In light of the protests and riots of 2020, we saw numerous high-profile brands take stands on the hot-ticket, contentious issues. Now that the dust has settled, do these brands still support these causes the way they did six months ago? The answer is telling. Social responsibility & ethical marketing applies not only to how […]
What’s The Difference Between Data and Information?
Data is far and away the most valuable commodity in the world today. Does that mean that information is just as valuable? While perception is reality, data is a way to quantify differing perceptions of reality into tangible, meaningful conclusions. For example, you might perceive Fridays as the busiest days for your small business. Data […]
Top 4 Skills For Marketers Today
Think of the last advertisement or commercial you saw. What stands out? The most persuasive, compelling, and ultimately successful advertisements are more or less cut from the same cloth. What skills can we distill from these advertisements? More importantly, let’s take a look at the top four skills for marketers today. 1.) Critical Thinking Unless […]
How Small Businesses Can Compete with Big Boxes
Right now, if you go on your smartphone or computer, you can buy just about anything you want from a big-box store. What’s more, you can even get it the next-or even the same-day. For the most part, small businesses can’t compete with that kind of turnaround time. Where they can compete, however, is by […]
Why Empathy is the Most Valuable Marketing Skill
You might have the most convincing sales pitch, the highest quality product, and the lowest price in town, but if you don’t have empathy, your business could be in trouble. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the […]
What Can Pizza Teach You About Business?
What Can Pizza Teach You About Business? Everyone likes pizza. Seriously, it’s not the number one dinner choice among Americans for no reason. Look beyond the warm, gooey goodness, however, and you just might learn something. What can pizza teach you about business? The Crust Matters The crust of your pizza matters. You could take […]
How to Craft the Most Effective Advertising Messages
You might think you know what your customers want, but do you know what they need? If your advertising messages are too broad, too narrow, or focused on the wrong points, your customers will tune them out. Here are some helpful tips to help you craft the most effective advertising messages to help grow your […]
How Much Does Your Content Strategy Matter?
In its simplest terms, content is the information or experiences directed towards an audience. The goal of content creation is to engage the audience in a meaningful way to foster long-term connections. In other words, if you produce content your audience likes, they’ll both want more and like you for creating it. Is your content […]
Are You Using the Right Social Media Platforms?
Everyone thinks they know the social media platforms inside and out. While spreading your advertising across all the major channels may offer more in terms of potential visibility, how much of that effort goes wasted? Are you pouring the right resources into the social media platforms your target audience is using? What’s the Difference Between […]
What Does Your Website Say About You?
There are all types of websites out there. From the professionally crafted to the hastily-made to the perpetually under construction, customers have never had more options when it comes to surfing the web. What does the appearance, functionality, and responsiveness of your website say about your business? Your Website is the Face of Your Business […]
Should You Compare Yourself to Your Competition?
Part of running a business is gauging how you stand in the marketplace. Obviously, your bottom line is the most telling indicator of how your business is doing, but what about the competition? Should you take the time to compare your business to those who provide the same or similar products or services? Comparing the […]
How Important is Word of Mouth Advertising?
Even the most entertaining, insightful, and revolutionary advertisements aren’t always convincing. That’s because the most powerful form of persuasion comes from those we know and trust. With the advent of social media and digital technologies, today everyone has the power to be an influencer. How important is word of mouth advertising to your overall marketing […]
Understanding the Consumer Decision Making Process
Understanding the Consumer Decision Making Process Consumers today see over 5,000 brand messages a day. Add to that the fact that more and more new businesses are sprouting up, and competition is as fierce as ever. At the same time, the evolution of digital technology has dramatically altered the consumer decision making process. The key […]
Understanding Your Target Market
Though it’s typically one of the first steps in establishing a new business, there are plenty of businesses out there that simply don’t have a fundamental understanding of their target market. While demographics are telling to a point, they don’t provide anything more than a structural context for data. To really understand your audience, you […]
Consumer Insights: What, How and Why?
How can you leverage customer attitudes, interests, activities, and behaviors to learn about their needs, motivations, and goals? The answer is through the development of consumer insights. It’s not enough to simply know what your customers are doing and how often they’re doing it. What’s more important is the why. That’s where you’ll find your […]
Customer Perception is Reality (For Your Customers)
Perception is reality, and customer perception, in particular, is reality for your customers. That means every part of your communication strategy has the power to either reinforce or sway that reality. You don’t have the power to determine what your customers think of you, but there are steps you can take to help make their […]
Ethical Marketing Matters Now More Than Ever
For business owners, your main goal is to grow your business and garner more customers. While it may be tempting to try to get ahead by cutting corners, it’s important to remember that ethical marketing matters. Once you lose your audience’s trust, you may not get the chance to earn it back. Be Honest Special […]
